Aperture and Perspective

Spent the day at a beginner's digital photography class at the Minneapolis Photo Center.  I've had my DSLR for well over a year and was perpetually shooting in auto mode.  Without the proper understanding of my camera's functionality, my pictures were completely hit or miss.  Enough was enough.  Time to learn about all the wheels and buttons, the settings and definitions for things like f-stop or aperture, shutter speed, ISO, etc.  While I definitely have a lot more to learn, I feel much more knowledgeable. 

In photography, the camera is often able to capture things that the naked eye doesn't even realize is there.  We filter out so much and so quickly.  It is only when our surroundings -- the world around us -- is frozen in a still image that we can fix our gaze on it in any meaningful way.  The act of pausing and reflection is forced.  Similarly, you might take a photograph of a person or thing and, in a certain light or at a specific angle, it is too dark or out-of-focus.  The background may be blown out with harsh light.  The subject hidden in shadow.  While a more expensive lens or sophisticated camera can compensate and make a rough image far more crisp, it can only do so much.  Similarly, a trained photographer can reach into his or her bag of tricks to turn the bad picture into a decent one.  Of course, there are also software packages where a crummy digital image can be edited to a reveal something much better than originally downloaded.  

All of these factors aside, the only way to truly improve the photo, without the use of modern technology, is by physically moving to a different spot in order to see the image from a fresh, new perspective.  The photographer has to change their view for the picture to clear up and come into focus. A few inches to the right, a turn to the side, a couple steps back and 'voila' a beautiful, perhaps even transformative, picture appears.  

Life is like that too.  Stuck in one position -- one view -- can be crippling.  Sometimes we need to take a step or shift our perspective in order to see something brilliant.  Point our eyes upward to the sky and there is immense grandeur.  Move your viewfinder and compose a picture where your subject is not centered, but rather hanging out on the edge of your frame.  What does the rest of the world look like when we aren't at the center of the universe?  Lay down on the ground and what comes into view then?  What are we missing by staying in our auto mode?  There is so much more to contemplate and learn when we play with the dials, change our aperture and take a few well chosen steps.